Golf game device, golf game server, and golf game system

ABSTRACT

A novel golf game device includes a field simulating a green, a plurality of cups provided in the field, a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has entered the cup, a cup designating section which designates to a player a target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups, a putting position designating section which designates to the player a putting position on the field from where the player hits a ball, and a control section which is operable, in response to the player hitting a ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the progress of the golf game on the basis of the determination result.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a golf game device, a golf game server, and a golf game system.

BACKGROUND ART

A golf game device which includes a field simulating a green, a plurality of cups provided in the field, and a plurality of set positions provided within a prescribed area is known. The device allows a player to hit a golf ball with a golf club, thereby providing the player with realistic feeling of playing golf (for example, see Patent Document 1).

CITATION LIST Patent Document

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.     2004-242747

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

In this kind of golf game device, a player can set a golf ball at a set position selected by the player, and hit the ball with a golf club aiming at a cup selected by the player. The player tends to hit the ball aiming at the cup that he/she can easily aim at, from the set position that he/she is good at. As a result, the player may be bored with monotonous game play.

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the foregoing, and an object of the present invention is to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

Means for Solving the Problems

To achieve the above object, the present invention primarily provides a golf game device which includes:

a field simulating a green;

a plurality of cups provided in the field;

a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has entered the cup;

a cup designating section which designates, to a player, a target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups;

a putting position designating section which designates, to the player, a putting position on the field from where the player hits a ball; and

a control section operable, in response to the player hitting a ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the progress of a golf game on the basis of the determination result.

According to the golf game device described above, it is possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

In the golf game device described above,

the control section may be operable to

-   -   select one of the plurality of cups as the target cup for the         cup designating section to designate,     -   determine a distance to the selected target cup, and     -   on the basis of the determined distance, determine the putting         position on the field for the putting position designating         section to designate.

According to the golf game device described above, the putting position is determined on the basis of the distance to the target cup. It is thus possible to enable game play with various difficulty levels.

In the golf game device described above,

the putting position designating section may designate the putting position to the player by emitting a laser beam onto an arbitrary position on the field.

According to the golf game device described above, it is possible to clearly indicate the putting position, making the player readily set a ball at the putting position.

In the golf game device described above,

for a first shot in the golf game, the control section may be operable to

-   -   select one of the plurality of cups as the target cup for the         cup designating section to designate,     -   determine a first distance to the selected target cup, and     -   on the basis of the determined first distance, determine a first         putting position on the field for the putting position         designating section to designate, and

for a second shot in the golf game, the control section may be operable to

-   -   determine a second distance to the target cup, the second         distance being shorter than the first distance, and     -   on the basis of the determined second distance, determine a         second putting position on the field for the putting position         designating section to designate.

According to the golf game device described above, even if a player missed the first shot, he/she can easily aim at the cup on the second shot.

The golf game device described above may further include a tilting section which is operable to tilt the field.

According to the golf game device described above, it is possible to enable game play that is richer in variety.

In the golf game device described above,

when causing a player to hit a first shot, the control section may operate the tilting section to tilt the field, and

when causing the player to hit a second shot, the control section may maintain the tilting of the field on which the first shot was hit, without operating the tilting section.

According to the golf game device described above, it is possible to give the player, upon his/her second shot, an impression that he/she is continuously playing on the same green as that on which he/she had hit the first shot.

The present invention also provides a golf game system having a plurality of golf game devices and a golf game server, the golf game server being connected to the plurality of golf game devices via a network,

the golf game device including:

-   -   a field simulating a green;     -   a plurality of cups provided in the field;     -   a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has         entered the cup;     -   a cup designating section which designates, to a player, a         target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups;     -   a putting position designating section which designates, to the         player, a putting position on the field from where the player         hits a ball;     -   a control section operable, in response to the player hitting a         ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit         ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection         signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the         progress of a golf game on the basis of the determination         result, to thereby determine game result information including a         game score of the player; and     -   a transmitting section which transmits the game result         information of the player to the golf game server via the         network;

the golf game server including:

-   -   a receiving section which receives the game result information         of the player transmitted from the golf game device via the         network; and     -   a storage section which stores the received game result         information in association with the player.

According to the golf game system described above, it is possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

The present invention further provides a golf game server connected to a golf game device via a network, the golf game device including a field simulating a green, a plurality of cups provided in the field, a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has entered the cup, a cup designating section which designates, to a player, a target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups, a putting position designating section which designates, to the player, a putting position on the field from where the player hits a ball, a control section operable, in response to the player hitting a ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the progress of a golf game on the basis of the determination result, to thereby determine game result information including a game score of the player, and a transmitting section which transmits the game result information of the player to the golf game server via the network,

the golf game server including:

-   -   a receiving section which receives the game result information         of the player transmitted from the golf game device via the         network; and     -   a storage section which stores the received game result         information in association with the player.

According to the golf game server described above, it is possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

Advantageous Effect of the Invention

As described above, the golf game device, the golf game server, and the golf game system according to the present invention can enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram of a golf game system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a golf game server 10.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary configuration of a player table.

FIG. 4 is an external view showing the configuration of a golf game device 20 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the golf game device 20.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a cup section 22.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a tilting section 23.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a putting position designating section 24.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the golf game device 20 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary configuration of data stored in a storage section 31 concerning the field settings (for a first shot) for each hole.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary configuration of data stored in the storage section 31 concerning the field settings (for a second shot) for each hole.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of the golf game device 20 according to the present embodiment.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment Golf Game System Configuration

An exemplary configuration of a golf game system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram of the golf game system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The golf game system 1 of the present embodiment has a golf game server 10 and a plurality of golf game devices 20, as shown in FIG. 1. The golf game server 10 and the golf game devices 20 are configured to be connectable with each other via a network 2.

In this golf game system 1, the golf game device 20 allows a player to hit a golf ball with a golf club to play a golf game. Further, in the golf game system 1, the golf game server 10 is able to manage various kinds of information regarding the player who has played using the golf game device 20, including his/her score, level, progress in a game, play history, etc. Furthermore, the golf game system 1 can provide various services. For example, when the golf game server 10 is accessed via the network 2 from an information processing terminal (not shown) such as a mobile phone or a smartphone owned by a player, a Web page can be distributed to the information processing terminal to allow the player to view various kinds of information about the player.

<Golf Game Server Configuration>

An exemplary configuration of the golf game server 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the golf game server 10. FIG. 3 shows an exemplary configuration of a player table.

The golf game server 10 of the present embodiment includes: a server control section 11 such as a central processing unit (CPU); a server storage section 12 such as a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM); a server display section 13; a server operation section 14; and a server communication section 15 for connecting the golf game server 10 to the golf game device 20 via the network 2 in an information-communicable manner.

The server control section 11 has the function of performing centralized control and information processing for the golf game system 1.

The server storage section 12 includes: a ROM, which is a read-only storage area having stored therein a system program for the golf game server 10; and a RAM, which is a rewritable storage area having stored therein various data (flags used in the system program, and calculated values) generated in the server control section 11 and which is also used as a work area when the server control section 11 performs arithmetic processing. The server storage section 12 is connected to the server control section 11 via the bus, and the data stored in the server storage section 12 is referred to, read, or rewritten in accordance with the processing performed by the server control section 11. The server storage section 12 according to the present embodiment includes a system program and a player table, as shown in FIG. 2.

In the player table, various kinds of information regarding a player are stored in association with the player's ID. The player table of the present embodiment stores, as shown in FIG. 3, player information, including a player ID for identifying the player, player name, level, and dominant hand information indicating the player's dominant hand, and game result information, including score, ranking, and play history.

The server display section 13 is connected to the server control section 11 via the bus, and displays an operation screen for a system administrator, on the basis of an instruction from the server control section 11. For example, the server display section 13 is implemented by a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like.

The server operation section 14 is operated by a system administrator or the like to input various data (such as player information). For example, the server operation section 14 is implemented by a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, or the like. When a player inputs an operation using an operation button 27 a in the golf game device 20, an operation signal corresponding to the player's operation is transmitted to the server control section 11 connected via the bus.

The server communication section 15 communicates with the golf game device 20 and others. The server communication section 15 has the function as a receiving section which receives various data and signals transmitted from the golf game device 20, and the function as a transmitting section which transmits various data and signals to the golf game device 20 in accordance with an instruction of the server control section 11 connected via the bus.

<Golf Game Device Configuration>

An exemplary configuration of the golf game device 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 9. FIG. 4 is an external view showing the configuration of the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the golf game device 20. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a cup section 22. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a tilting section 23. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a putting position designating section 24. FIG. 9 is a side view of the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment.

The golf game device 20 is a game device used by a player to play a golf game. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment is made up of a field portion 20A, which serves as a play field, and an upright portion 20B, which stands in the up-and-down direction (vertical direction) with respect to the field portion 20A. The golf game device 20 includes: a field plate 21, a cup section 22, a tilting section 23, a putting position designating section 24, a ball supplying section 25, a ball collecting section 26, an operation section 27 for a player to perform an operation, a display section 28 for displaying images, a control section 30 such as a central processing unit (CPU), a storage section 31 such as a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM), an image generating section 32 which generates game images and the like, an audio output section 33 which outputs sound effects and the like, and a communication section 34 for connecting the golf game device 20 to the golf game server 10 via the network in an information-communicable manner.

The field portion 20A is a rectangular play field, as shown in FIG. 4. A player can play a golf game on the field plate 21 disposed on the upper surface of the field portion 20A. The field plate 21 is covered with artificial turf and simulates a green on a golf course. In the present embodiment, a player can play a golf putting game by hitting a golf ball with a putter.

The cup section 22 is disposed near one short side among the long and short sides of the field portion 20A, as shown in FIG. 4. This cup section 22 includes, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a plurality of cups 22H, cup lights 22L for illuminating the corresponding cups 22H, and ball-in-cup sensors 22S detecting a ball that has entered the corresponding cups 22H.

In the present embodiment, the cups 22H include two cups 22HR and 22HL. One cup 22HR is positioned in an area, within the entire area of the field plate 21, that is on the right hand side of the player (right-side area of the field plate 21) when the short side on which the cups 22H are located is seen from the central position of the other short side. The other cup 22HL is positioned in an area, within the entire area of the field plate 21, that is on the left hand side of the player (left-side area of the field plate 21) when the short side on which the cups 22H are located is seen from the central position of the other short side.

The cup light 22L is an example of a cup designating section, which designates, to a player, one of the plurality of cups 22H that is to be aimed at (hereinafter, referred to as a “target cup”). The cup lights 22L of the present embodiment include a cup light 22LR provided for one cup 22HR, and a cup light 22LL provided for the other cup 22HL. Each cup light 22L of the present embodiment is made up of an LED substrate having LED elements mounted thereon, and is arranged along the inner periphery of the cup 22H, as shown in FIG. 6.

The ball-in-cup sensor 22S is an example of a ball-in-cup detecting section, which detects that a ball hit by a player has entered a target cup. Such ball-in-cup sensors 22S are provided respectively for the two cups 22HR and 22HL.

The ball-in-cup sensor 22S of the present embodiment is an optical sensor, which includes a light emitting element 22S1 which emits infrared light, and a light receiving element 22S2 which receives the infrared light. The ball-in-cup sensor 22S is arranged inside the cup 22H, with the light emitting element 22S1 and the light receiving element 22S2 facing each other, as shown in FIG. 6. The ball-in-cup sensor 22S can detect that there is a golf ball that has dropped into the cup 22H when the infrared light emitted from the light emitting element 22S1 is interrupted by the golf ball and, thus, the light receiving element 22S2 cannot receive the infrared light.

The tilting section 23 is disposed in the field portion 20A, and causes the field plate 21 to be tilted such that a slope is formed in the field portion 20A. The tilting section 23 of the present embodiment includes four lift mechanisms 23A to 23D which support the four corners of the field plate 21 from beneath, as shown in FIG. 7.

The lift mechanisms 23A to 23D each have a ball screw shaft 231 and a motor 232. The ball screw shaft 231 has screwed thereon a ball screw nut (not shown) which is attached to the undersurface of the field plate 21. When the motor 232 is driven, the ball screw shaft 231 rotates, causing the ball screw nut to move along the ball screw shaft 231. That is, the rotational motion of the ball screw shaft 231 caused by driving the motor 232 is converted into the linear motion of the ball screw nut, so the field plate 21 to which the ball screw nut is attached moves up and down in the axial direction.

In the present embodiment, the control section 30 drives and controls the motors 232 of the respective lift mechanisms 23A to 23D, to allow the tilting section 23 to form an ascending slope, a descending slope, a left to right descending slope (hereinafter, a rightward slope), a right to left descending slope (hereinafter, a leftward slope), or the like, in the field portion 20A.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, when the tilting section 23 causes only the two lift mechanisms 23A and 23B on the front side to perform a lift-up operation, the front end of the field plate 21 moves upward from the reference position, so an ascending slope can be formed in the field portion 20A. When the tilting section 23 causes only the two lift mechanisms 23C and 23D on the back side to perform a lift-up operation, the back end of the field plate 21 moves upward from the reference position, so a descending slope can be formed in the field portion 20A. When the tilting section 23 causes only the two lift mechanisms 23B and 23D on the left side to perform a lift-up operation, the left end of the field plate 21 moves upward from the reference position, so a rightward slope can be formed in the field portion 20A. When the tilting section 23 causes only the two lift mechanisms 23A and 23C on the right side to perform a lift-up operation, the right end of the field plate 21 moves upward from the reference position, so a leftward slope can be formed in the field portion 20A. Further, the tilting section 23 can operate the lift mechanisms 23A to 23D to form a slope as a combination of the ascending or descending slope and the rightward or leftward slope.

In this manner, a variety of slopes can be formed in the field portion 20A, enabling game play rich in variety.

The putting position designating section 24 designates, to a player, a putting position on the field plate 21 from where the player hits a ball. As shown in FIG. 4, the putting position designating section 24 is installed in the upright portion 20B which stands upward from the field plate 21, so any position on the entire area of the field plate 21 can be designated as a putting position to the player.

The golf game device of the present embodiment does not have a putting position fixed to the field plate 21 (for example, a mark printed on the field) as in a conventional device. Any position on the field plate 21 can be designated as a putting position in accordance with the progress of the game. Conventional devices had a problem that a player would be unable to find the putting position (for example, the mark printed on the field) and, thus, unable to determine where on the field plate 21 the ball should be set. The golf game device of the present embodiment has this putting position designating section 24, which can clearly designate the putting position on the field plate 21 to the player. In particular, in the case where the putting position is changed in accordance with the progress of the game, the putting position designating section 24 can clearly indicate to the player where on the field plate 21 the ball should be set.

The putting position designating section 24 of the present embodiment includes, as shown in FIG. 8, a laser beam emitting section 24 a which emits a laser beam, a first shaft 24 b arranged in the lateral direction, a first motor 24 c connected to the first shaft 24 b, a second shaft 24 d arranged in the up-and-down direction, a second motor 24 e connected to the second shaft 24 d, and a bracket 24 f which rotatably supports the laser beam emitting section 24 a via the first shaft 24 b and the second shaft 24 d.

The laser beam emitting section 24 a is attached to the first shaft 24 b which is in turn connected to the first motor 24 c, and the first shaft 24 b is rotatably supported by the bracket 24 f via bearings (not shown). Therefore, as the first motor 24 c is driven, the laser beam emitting section 24 a rotates about the first shaft 24 b and, thus, can emit a laser beam onto an arbitrary position in the front-and-back direction (longitudinal direction) of the field plate 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, an arbitrary position A in the front-and-back direction (longitudinal direction) of the field plate 21 is designated as a putting position as the putting position designating section 24 (laser beam emitting section 24 a) emits a laser beam (shown by a dash-dot-dot line) onto that position.

The bracket 24 f which rotatably supports the laser beam emitting section 24 a about the first shaft 24 b is attached to the second shaft 24 d which is in turn connected to the second motor 24 e. With this configuration, the laser beam emitting section 24 a not only rotates about the first shaft 24 b, which is driven by the first motor 24 c, but also rotates about the second shaft 24 d, which is driven by the second motor 24 e, together with the bracket 24 f. As a result, the laser beam emitting section 24 a is able to emit a laser beam onto any position on the entire area of the field plate 21 as a putting position.

As explained above, the putting position designating section 24 can emit a laser beam onto the field plate 21 to designate a putting position, so it can clearly indicate the putting position. This allows a player to readily set a ball at the putting position. The putting position can be marked with no irregularities formed on the field, so there will be no influence on the rolling of the ball.

The ball supplying section 25 is located at a lower portion of the upright portion 20B, and supplies a ball onto the field plate 21 for a player to use it for game play. In the present embodiment, a ball supplying motor (not shown) is driven to send out balls, one by one, to a guide rail, so that the ball is guided onto the field plate 21.

When a ball is supplied by the ball supplying section 25, the player picks it up off the field plate 21, and sets it at a putting position on the field plate 21 that is designated by the putting position designating section 24. The player is then ready to hit the set ball.

The ball collecting section 26 is located at a lower portion of the upright portion 20B, and collects the ball that did not get in the cup. In the present embodiment, the ball collecting section 26 includes a channel into which the ball that did not get in the cup falls, and a falling detection sensor (not shown) which detects the ball that has fallen into the channel. When a ball that passed the cups 22H falls into the channel, a detection signal is transmitted from the falling detection sensor to the control section 30 connected via the bus. The ball that has fallen into the channel is guided by a guide rail (not shown) back to the ball supplying section 25.

The operation section 27 accepts operations input by a player. The operation section 27 of the present embodiment is disposed on an upper surface of the upright portion 20B, as shown in FIG. 4, and includes an operation button 27 a and a card reader/writer (R/W) 27 b which is an example of a reading section.

The operation button 27 a is used when a player performs game operations, for example when selecting or determining a game mode (type of game) or the like. In the case where two or more players play the game, the operation button 27 a is used to switch to a next player.

The card R/W 27 b is used for reading player information (player ID, player name, level, etc.) recorded on an IC card owned by a player and fetching the information as digital data, or for writing game result information (score, ranking, etc.) to the IC card. The IC card is an example of information recording medium owned by a player.

The display section 28 is disposed on a front surface (facing the player) of the upright portion 20B, and displays various images (game images etc.) which are generated by the image generating section 32, described later, on the basis of instructions from the control section 30, described later. For example, the display section 28 is implemented by a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like.

The control section 30 passes data between the cup section 22, the tilting section 23, the putting position designating section 24, the ball supplying section 25, and other sections. The control section 30 also performs various kinds of control and information processing for the entire golf game device 20. The control section 30 is implemented as a central processing unit (CPU) executes a program stored in the storage section 31.

The storage section 31 includes: a ROM, which is a read-only storage area in which a system program for the golf game device 20, a game program, and others are stored; and a RAM, which is a rewritable storage area in which data (flags used in the system program, game program and others, and calculated values) generated in the control section 30 as well as various kinds of information received from the golf game server 10 are stored, and which is also used as a work area when the control section 30 performs arithmetic processing. This storage section 31 is connected to the control section 30 via the bus, and the data stored in the storage section 31 is referred to, read, or rewritten in accordance with the processing performed by the control section 30.

The image generating section 32 generates images in accordance with the player's operations and the progress of the game play. The image generating section 32 has the function of drawing three-dimensional CG. That is, in order to generate a three-dimensional CG game image or the like, the image generating section 32 reads, from the storage section 31, polygon data (vertex data) or non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) data (curves and control points data) constituting an object to be displayed on the display section 28, and disposes the object formed by the polygons in a world coordinate system which is a three-dimensional virtual space, and converts the coordinates of the object from those in the local coordinate system to those in the world coordinate system. The image generating section 32 also sets, in the world coordinate system, a virtual viewpoint (virtual camera) generated through the player's operations or the progress of the game play, and converts the coordinates of any object that falls within the range of vision when viewed from the viewpoint in a prescribed viewing direction and view angle, into those in a viewing coordinate system having the coordinates of the viewpoint as its origin. Then, the image generating section 32 performs light source processing and other interpolation processing on the object, and also maps texture data stored in the storage section 31 onto the object, to thereby give details to the surface of the object. To display the object on the display section 28, the image generating section 32 projects the three-dimensional object (polygons) onto a two-dimensional surface (screen), and converts the three-dimensional coordinates (in the viewing coordinate system) of the object into the two-dimensional coordinates (in the screen coordinate system). In this manner, the image generating section 32 generates a two-dimensional image in which objects are displayed preferentially from the one having the coordinates closest to the coordinates of the viewpoint in the world coordinate system, and outputs the generated image to the display section 28.

The audio output section 33 uses a digital amplifier or the like to amplify audio signals (audio information) of music, voice, sound effects and others output from the control section 30, to output sound. The audio output section 33 is implemented by, for example, a speaker or the like.

The communication section 34 has the function of connecting the golf game server 10 and the golf game device in an information-communicable manner, and includes a receiving section and a transmitting section. The receiving section receives various data and signals transmitted from the golf game server 10. The transmitting section transmits various data and signals according to various kinds of processing performed in the golf game device 20, to the golf game server 10.

<Outline of Golf Game>

A golf game performed in the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment will now be outlined.

In the golf game of the present embodiment, a player sets a golf ball, on the field plate 21 which has been configured to be tiltable, at a putting position designated by the putting position designating section 24, and he/she putts, aiming at a target cup (cup 22HR or cup 22HL) illuminated by the corresponding cup light 22L. The putting position, the target cup, and the tilting of the field plate 21 in this golf game are determined by the control section 30 of the golf game device 20. Accordingly, the player challenges the golf game on the play field (green) conditions automatically determined in the above-described manner.

In the golf game of the present embodiment, one game has a plurality of holes set for a golf putting game. For example, nine holes from the first hole to the ninth hole are set for one putting game. A player can hit up to two putts in each hole. That is, a player can hit 18 putts (nine holes×two putts) in total in one game.

The golf game of the present embodiment begins with the first shot on the first hole which is a birdie challenge. That is, when the ball rolls into the cup with the first putt, the player finishes the first hole with a “birdie”, and the score becomes “−1”. When the player misses the first putt, he/she hits the second shot. When the ball falls into the cup with the second putt, the player finishes the hole with a “par”, and the score becomes “±0” (does not change). When the player misses the second putt, the player finishes the hole with a “bogey”, and the score becomes “+1”.

On the second hole and on, in the case where the player had finished the previous hole with one shot, the first shot on the new hole is a birdie challenge. On the other hand, in the case where the player could not finish the previous hole with one shot, the first shot on the new hole is a par putt.

For example, suppose that a player had put the ball in the cup with one shot and finished the first hole with a “birdie”. In this case, when the player puts the ball in the cup with the first putt on the second hole, the player finishes the second hole with a “birdie”, and “−1” is added to the current score. When the player puts the ball in the cup with the second putt, the player finishes the hole with a “par”, and the score is unchanged. When the player misses the second putt, the player finishes the hole with a “bogey”, and “+1” is added to the current score. On the other hand, suppose that the player could not finish the first hole with a “birdie”. In this case, when the player puts the ball in the cup with the first putt on the second hole, the player finishes the second hole with a “par”, and the score is unchanged. When the player puts the ball in the cup with the second putt, the player finishes the hole with a “bogey”, and “+1” is added to the current score. When the player misses the second putt, the player finishes the hole with a “double bogey”, and “+2” is added to the current score.

When the game play is repeated for nine holes in the above-described manner, one golf putting game is finished, and the player's game results, including the total score for the nine holes and ranking, are determined. The determined game result information is transmitted from the golf game device 20 to the golf game server 10 via the network, and managed in the golf game server 10.

It should be noted that a plurality of players can participate in the golf game. In the present embodiment, it is configured such that up to four players can play the golf putting game at the same time. In such a case, the players' rankings are determined in accordance with their total scores at the end of the ninth hole.

<Operation of Golf Game Device>

An exemplary operation of the golf game device 20 according to the present embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. FIG. 10 shows an exemplary configuration of the data stored in the storage section 31 concerning the field settings (for the first shot) for each hole. FIG. 11 shows an exemplary configuration of the data stored in the storage section 31 concerning the field settings (for the second shot) for each hole. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment.

==Field Settings for Respective Holes==

First, when a golf putting game is started, the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment performs field settings for the respective holes before allowing a player to hit a golf ball with a putter. That is, in the present embodiment, field settings (setting of putting positions, setting of target cups, and setting of tilting of the field plate 21) are performed in advance for nine holes from the first hole to the ninth hole.

Specifically, in the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment, for performing the field settings for the respective holes, tilting determination processing, distance determination processing, cup determination processing, and putting position determination processing are carried out.

First, the tilting determination processing for determining the tilting of the field plate 21 is carried out. Specifically, the control section 30 sets a longitudinal height difference and a lateral height difference of the field plate 21, to determine an ascending slope, a descending slope, a rightward slope, a leftward slope, or a slope as a combination thereof.

At this time, the control section 30 determines the tilting of the field plate 21 for each of the nine holes, and stores the tilting information of the field plate 21 determined for the respective holes, into the storage section 31 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the height differences are recorded as the tilting information of the field plate 21. With the height differences recorded, for example in the case of forming an ascending slope with the longitudinal height difference of 25 mm in the first hole (for the first shot), the control section 30 raises only the lift mechanisms 23A and 23B of the tilting section 23 (see FIG. 7) by 25 mm from the reference positions, with the lift mechanisms 23C and 23D being held in the reference positions. Further, in the case of forming a rightward slope with the lateral height difference of 15 mm in the third hole (for the first shot), the control section 30 raises only the lift mechanisms 23B and 23D of the tilting section 23 (see FIG. 7) by 15 mm from the reference positions, with the lift mechanisms 23A and 23C being held in the reference positions. It should be noted that, when the height difference of the tilting is “0”, all the lift mechanisms 23A to 23D are held in the reference positions, so the field plate 21 remains flat, without being tilted.

With this configuration, a player putts, aiming at a target cup, on the field plate 21 with the slope that has been determined by the control section 30. This allows the player to enjoy the game play on a variety of slopes that change in accordance with the progress of the game. It is thus possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

Next, the distance determination processing for determining a distance on the basis of the tilting that has been determined by the tilting determination processing is carried out. Specifically, the control section 30 refers to a distance setting table (stored in the storage section 31), which specifies distances to target cups, to determine a distance to a target cup for each hole.

At this time, the control section 30 determines, for each of the nine holes, a first distance to a target cup for the first putt and a second distance to a target cup for the second putt, and stores the information about the first and second distances determined for the respective holes, into the storage section 31 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the second distance is set shorter than the first distance. Therefore, even when a player has missed the first putt, he/she can aim at the target cup with ease on the second putt. This can increase the player's motivation for the game play. Further, the level of difficulty of the game varies in accordance with the distance to the target cup determined by the control section 30. It is thus possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

Next, the cup determination processing for determining a target cup from among a plurality of cups 22H is carried out. Specifically, the control section 30 selects either the cup 22HR or the cup 22HL at random, and determines it as a target cup.

At this time, the control section 30 determines, for each of the nine holes, a target cup for the first putt and a target cup for the second putt, and stores the information about the target cups determined for the respective holes, into the storage section 31 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

In the present embodiment, for each hole, different cups are determined as the target cup for the first putt and the target cup for the second putt, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

With this configuration, a player putts aiming at the target cup determined by the control section 30.

Next, the putting position determination processing for determining a putting position on the field plate 21 at which a player is caused to set a ball is carried out. Specifically, the control section 30 determines a position on the field plate 21 that is apart from the target cup determined by the cup determination processing by the distance determined by the distance determination processing, as the putting position.

At this time, the control section 30 determines, for each of the nine holes, a first putting position on the field plate 21 on the basis of the first distance to the target cup for the first putt, and a second putting position on the field plate 21 on the basis of the second distance to the target cup for the second putt, and stores the coordinate information of the first and second putting positions determined for the respective holes, into the storage section 31 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

More specifically, the control section 30 determines, as the first putting position on the field plate 21, an arbitrary position on an arc that is drawn about the corresponding target cup with a radius equal to the first distance. Further, the control section 30 determines, as the second putting position on the field plate 21, an arbitrary position on an arc that is drawn about the corresponding target cup with a radius equal to the second distance.

In the present embodiment, as the coordinate information of each putting position, XY coordinate information with the lateral direction along the short sides of the field as the X direction and the longitudinal direction along the long sides of the field as the Y direction is stored, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

With this configuration, a player sets a ball at the putting position on the field determined by the control section 30, and putts from the putting position, aiming at the target cup determined by the control section 30. As a result, the player can enjoy the game play on various golf courses that vary in accordance with the progress of the game. It is thus possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

==Operations in Golf Game==

After having finished the field settings for the respective holes, the golf game device 20 of the present embodiment carries out golf putting game processing for allowing a player to hit a golf ball with a putter.

First, as shown in FIG. 12, the golf game device 20 displays, on the display section 28, a game image showing a hole to be played (one of the first through ninth holes; hereinafter, called the “play hole”) (S101).

Specifically, the control section 30 instructs the image generating section 32 to generate a game image showing the play hole (one of the first through ninth holes) for the player to play, in accordance with the progress of the golf game. The image generating section 32, in response to the instruction from the control section 30, generates a game image showing the play hole, and outputs the generated game image to the display section 28. This allows the player to see the game image displayed on the display section 28 and recognize the play hole that the player is about to play.

Next, before allowing the player to play a first putt on the play hole, the golf game device 20 displays an effect image showing a distance, for notifying the player about the distance (length) to the cup (S102).

Specifically, the control section 30 instructs the image generating section 32 to generate an effect image. The image generating section 32, in response to the instruction from the control section 30, generates an effect image, and outputs the generated effect image to the display section 28. This allows the player to see the effect image displayed on the display section 28 to confirm the distance (length) to the cup. As a result, the player can recognize the level of difficulty of the game in the play hole that the player is playing.

Next, the golf game device 20 operates the cup section 22, the putting position designating section 24, and the tilting section 23, to thereby set the conditions of the play field (green) for a corresponding one of the first through nine holes (S103).

Specifically, when operating the cup section 22, the control section 30 performs control to turn on the cup light 22L corresponding to the cup 22H (target cup) to be aimed at (by the first shot) on the play hole. The target cup (cup 22HR or cup 22HL) to be aimed at by the first shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 turns on the cup light 22LR corresponding to the cup 22HR or the cup light 22LL corresponding to the cup 22HL, on the basis of the information about the target cup stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 10). As a result, when the player is about to hit the first putt on the play hole, the player can recognize that the cup 22H being illuminated by the cup light 22L is the target cup.

When operating the putting position designating section 24, the control section 30 performs control such that the putting position designating section 24 emits a laser beam onto a putting position on the field plate 21 (for the first shot) on the play hole. The first putting position for the first shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 drives and controls the first motor 24 c and the second motor 24 e such that the laser beam emitting section 24 a emits a laser beam onto the first putting position on the field plate 21, on the basis of the coordinate information of the first putting position stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 10). As a result, when the player is about to hit the first putt on the play hole, the player can recognize that the point on the field plate 21 being illuminated by the laser beam is the first putting position.

When operating the tilting section 23, the control section 30 controls the tilting section 23 such that the field plate 21 has a prescribed slope (for the first shot) on the play hole. The tilting of the field plate 21 for the first shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 drives and controls the lift mechanisms 23A to 23D on the basis of the tilting information about the tilting (height difference) of the field plate 21 stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 10). As the tilting of the field plate 21 changes in this manner, the player can play the golf game with various difficulty levels.

Subsequently, for causing the player to putt on the play hole, the golf game device 20 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the putt is the first putt (S104). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can start the first putt on the play hole.

Next, the control section 30 of the golf game device 20 determines whether the current play hole is the first hole among the first through ninth holes (S105).

If the control section 30 determines that the play hole is the first hole (YES in S105), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the first shot of the first hole is a birdie challenge (S106). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can increase his/her motivation for the game play.

When the player hit a putt, the control section 30 determines whether the first putt on the first hole was successful (S107). That is, when the golf ball set at the first putting position was hit by the player, the control section 30 determines whether the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has dropped into the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup sensor 22S. If the ball-in-cup sensor 22S can detect the golf ball that has entered the target cup, the control section 30 determines that the first putt was successful; otherwise, the control section 30 determines that the first putt was a failure. When the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has fallen into the channel of the ball collecting section 26, the control section 30 receives a detection signal from the falling detection sensor (not shown). In this case as well, the control section 30 can determine that the first putt was a failure.

If the control section 30 determines that the first putt was successful (SUCCESS in S107), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the first putt was successful (S108). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she sank the first putt on the first hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Subsequently, the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the player has scored a birdie as a result of the birdie challenge (S109).

The control section 30 then updates the player's total score by setting it to “−1” (S110).

On the other hand, if the control section 30 determines that the first putt was a failure (FAILURE in S107), the control section 30 displays on the display section an effect image indicating that the first putt was a failure (S111). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she missed the first putt on the first hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Next, the control section 30 operates the cup section 22 and the putting position designating section 24 to reset the conditions of the play field (green) now for the second putt on the first hole (S112). At this time, the control section 30 refrains from operating the tilting section 23. That is, the tilting of the field plate 21 is made the same for the first shot and the second shot on the first hole. By maintaining the tilting of the field plate 21 in this manner, when the player is hitting a second putt, it is possible to make the player feel like he/she is continuously playing on the same green as that on which he/she had hit the first putt.

Specifically, when operating the cup section 22, the control section 30 performs control to turn on the cup light 22L corresponding to the cup 22H (target cup) to be aimed at (by the second shot) on the first hole. The target cup (cup 22HR or cup 22HL) to be aimed at by the second shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 turns on the cup light 22LR corresponding to the cup 22HR or the cup light 22LL corresponding to the cup 22HL, on the basis of the information about the target cup stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 11). As a result, when the player is about to hit the second putt on the play hole, the player can recognize that the cup 22H being illuminated by the cup light 22L is the target cup. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the target cup for the second putt is changed from the target cup for the first putt.

Further, when operating the putting position designating section 24, the control section 30 performs control such that the putting position designating section 24 emits a laser beam onto a putting position on the field plate 21 (for the second shot) on the first hole. The second putting position for the second shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 drives and controls the first motor 24 c and the second motor 24 e of the putting position designating section 24, on the basis of the coordinate information of the second putting position stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 11). As a result, the laser beam emitting section 24 a emits a laser beam onto the second putting position on the field plate 21. When the player is about to hit the second putt on the play hole, the player can recognize that the point on the field plate 21 being illuminated by the laser beam is the second putting position.

Next, when causing the player to putt on the first hole, the golf game device 20 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the putt is the second putt (S113). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can start the second putt on the first hole.

The control section 30 then displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the second shot of the first hole is a par putt (S114). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can increase his/her motivation for the game play, because the player can try for a par, although he/she cannot try for a birdie.

Next, when the player hit a putt, the control section 30 determines whether the second putt on the first hole was successful (S115). That is, when the golf ball set at the second putting position was hit by the player, the control section 30 determines whether the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has dropped into the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup sensor 22S. If the ball-in-cup sensor 22S can detect the golf ball that has entered the target cup, the control section 30 determines that the second putt was successful; otherwise, the control section 30 determines that the second putt was a failure. When the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has fallen into the channel of the ball collecting section 26, the control section 30 receives a detection signal from the falling detection sensor (not shown). In this case as well, the control section 30 can determine that the second putt was a failure.

If the control section 30 determines that the second putt was successful (SUCCESS in S115), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the second putt was successful (S116). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she sank the second putt on the first hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Subsequently, the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the player has scored a par as a result of the par putt (S117).

On the other hand, if the control section 30 determines that the second putt was a failure (FAILURE in S115), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the second putt was a failure (S118). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she missed the second putt on the first hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Subsequently, the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the player has scored a bogey as a result of the par putt (S119).

The control section 30 then updates the player's total score by setting it to “+1” (S120).

Returning to step S105, if the control section 30 determines that the current play hole is not the first hole (NO in S105), it means that the play hole is one of the holes other than the first hole. The control section 30 then determines whether the first putt on the previous play hole was successful (S121).

If the control section 30 determines that the first putt on the previous play hole was successful (YES in S121), the control section 30 performs the processing in the above-described step S106 and on. That is, the control section 30 performs the same processing as in the first hole. In this case, the first putt on the current play hole (one of the second through ninth holes) is a birdie challenge, as with the first shot on the previous play hole (one of the first through eighth holes). Therefore, the player can try for a birdie in a row.

On the other hand, if the control section 30 determines that the first putt on the previous play hole was not successful (NO in S121), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the first shot of the current play hole is a par putt (S122). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can increase his/her motivation for the game play, because the player can try for a par, although he/she cannot try for a birdie.

Next, when the player hit a putt, the control section 30 determines whether the first putt on the play hole was successful (S123). That is, when the golf ball set at the first putting position was hit by the player, the control section 30 determines whether the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has dropped into the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup sensor 22S. If the ball-in-cup sensor 22S can detect the golf ball that has entered the target cup, the control section 30 determines that the first putt was successful; otherwise, the control section 30 determines that the first putt was a failure. When the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has fallen into the channel of the ball collecting section 26, the control section 30 receives a detection signal from the falling detection sensor (not shown). In this case as well, the control section 30 can determine that the first putt was a failure.

If the control section 30 determines that the first putt was successful (SUCCESS in S123), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the first putt was successful (S124). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she sank the first putt on the play hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Subsequently, the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the player has scored a par as a result of the par putt (S125).

The control section 30 then displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the first putt of the next play hole will be a birdie challenge (S126). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can increase his/her motivation for the game play, because the player can try for a birdie on the next play hole.

On the other hand, if the control section 30 determines that the first putt was a failure (FAILURE in S123), the control section 30 displays on the display section an effect image indicating that the first putt was a failure (S127). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she missed the first putt on the play hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Next, the control section 30 operates the cup section 22 and the putting position designating section 24 to reset the conditions of the play field (green) now for the second putt on the play hole (S128). At this time, the control section 30 refrains from operating the tilting section 23. That is, the tilting of the field plate 21 is made the same for the first shot and the second shot on the play hole. By maintaining the tilting of the field plate 21 in this manner, when the player is hitting a second putt, it is possible to make the player feel like he/she is continuously playing on the same green as that on which he/she had hit the first putt.

Specifically, when operating the cup section 22, the control section 30 performs control to turn on the cup light 22L corresponding to the cup 22H (target cup) to be aimed at (by the second shot) on the play hole. The target cup (cup 22HR or cup 22HL) to be aimed at by the second shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 turns on the cup light 22LR corresponding to the cup 22HR or the cup light 22LL corresponding to the cup 22HL, on the basis of the information about the target cup stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 11). As a result, when the player is about to hit the second putt on the play hole, the player can recognize that the cup 22H being illuminated by the cup light 22L is the target cup. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the target cup for the second putt is changed from the target cup for the first putt.

Further, when operating the putting position designating section 24, the control section 30 performs control such that the putting position designating section 24 emits a laser beam onto a putting position on the field plate 21 (for the second shot) on the play hole. The second putting position for the second shot has been predetermined in the field settings described above. Thus, the control section 30 drives and controls the first motor 24 c and the second motor 24 e of the putting position designating section 24, on the basis of the coordinate information of the second putting position stored in the storage section 31 (see FIG. 11). As a result, the laser beam emitting section 24 a emits a laser beam onto the second putting position on the field plate 21. When the player is about to hit the second putt on the play hole, the player can recognize that the point on the field plate 21 being illuminated by the laser beam is the second putting position.

Next, when causing the player to putt on the play hole, the golf game device 20 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the putt is the second putt (S129). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can start the second putt on the play hole.

The control section 30 then displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the second shot of the play hole is a bogey putt (S130). As the player sees the game image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can increase his/her motivation for the game play, because the player can try for a bogey, although he/she cannot try for a par.

Next, when the player hit a putt, the control section 30 determines whether the second putt on the play hole was successful (S131). That is, when the golf ball set at the second putting position was hit by the player, the control section 30 determines whether the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has dropped into the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup sensor 22S. If the ball-in-cup sensor 22S can detect the golf ball that has entered the target cup, the control section 30 determines that the second putt was successful; otherwise, the control section 30 determines that the second putt was a failure. When the golf ball rolling on the field plate 21 has fallen into the channel of the ball collecting section 26, the control section 30 receives a detection signal from the falling detection sensor (not shown). In this case as well, the control section 30 can determine that the second putt was a failure.

If the control section 30 determines that the second putt was successful (SUCCESS in S131), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the second putt was successful (S132). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she sank the second putt on the play hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Subsequently, the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the player has scored a bogey as a result of the bogey putt (S133).

The control section 30 then updates the player's total score by adding “+1” to the current score (S134).

On the other hand, if the control section 30 determines that the second putt was a failure (FAILURE in S131), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 an effect image indicating that the second putt was a failure (S135). As the player sees the effect image displayed on the display section 28, he/she can confirm that he/she missed the second putt on the play hole.

At this time, the control section 30 performs control to turn off the cup light L that had been on and also stop the emission of the laser beam by the putting position designating section 24.

Subsequently, the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image indicating that the player has scored a double bogey as a result of the bogey putt (S136).

The control section 30 then updates the player's total score by adding “+2” to the current score (S137).

Next, the control section 30 determines whether there is a next player (S138). The control section can determine the number of the players who are participating in the golf game, on the basis of a signal input from the operation section 27 at the start of the game. If the control section 30 determines that there is a next player (YES in S138), the control section 30 displays on the display section 28 a game image instructing to switch to the next player (S139). The control section 30 then continues the processing in the step S104 and on.

On the other hand, if the control section 30 determines that there is not a next player (NO in S138), the control section 30 terminates the current play hole (S140).

As described above, according to the golf game device of the present embodiment, the putting position on the field determined by the control section 30 is designated by the putting position designating section 24, and the target cup determined by the control section 30 is designated by the cup designating section 22L. This allows the player to set the ball at the putting position and putt from the putting position aiming at the target cup. The player can enjoy the game play on a variety of play fields (greens) that change in accordance with the progress of the game. It is thus possible to enable game play that is rich in variety and capable of keeping the player from getting bored.

Further, the tilting section 23 can tilt the field plate 21 in accordance with the tilting determined by the control section 30. The player can enjoy the game play on a wider variety of play fields (greens). It is thus possible to enable game play that is richer in variety.

Modified Embodiments

It should be noted that the above embodiment is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.

Further, needless to say, the present invention can be modified or improved without departing from the scope thereof, and the present invention encompasses equivalents thereto. In particular, the present invention covers the embodiments described below.

<Cup Section 22>

In the above embodiment, the golf game device 20 had two cups 22H in the field portion 20A. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto; two or more cups 22H may be provided.

<Tilting Section 23>

In the above embodiment, the tilting section 23 for tilting the field plate 21 included the lift mechanism having the ball screw shaft 231 and the motor 232. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. The tilting section may include, for example, a mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic pantograph jack.

<Putting Position Designating Section 24>

In the above embodiment, the putting position designating section 24 designated the putting position by emitting a laser beam onto the field plate 21. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. For example, the laser beam may be replaced with a spotlight. Further, instead of focusing light on the field surface, the field may be divided into grid areas, for example, and LED lamps may be embedded in the field for the respective grid areas. In this case, the putting position designating section 24 may turn on the LED lamp corresponding to one of the areas, in accordance with an instruction from the control section 30, to designate the putting position on the field.

Further, at the time of determining a putting position, the putting position designating section 24 may determine the putting position irrespectively of the distance to the target cup.

<Cup Determination Processing>

In the above embodiment, in the cup determination processing, it was configured such that the target cup for the first putt would not be the same as the target cup for the second putt. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. The same cup may be determined as the target cup for the first and second putts.

<Distance Determination Processing>

In the above embodiment, in the distance determination processing, it was configured such that the second distance for the second putt would be shorter than the first distance for the first putt. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. It may be configured such that the first distance becomes longer than the second distance. This can increase the difficulty level of the game.

<Tilting Determination Processing>

In the above embodiment, in the tilting determination processing, it was configured such that the tilting of the field plate 21 would be the same for the first putt and the second putt. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. The tilting may be changed between the first and second putts.

<Field Settings for Respective Holes>

In the above embodiment, the field settings for the respective holes were determined in the order of: tilting determination processing, distance determination processing, cup determination processing, and putting position determination processing. The present invention, however, is not limited thereto. The field settings for the respective holes may be determined in a different order.

<Setting of Each Hole>

In the golf game device 20 of the above embodiment, a player was allowed to hit a first putt and a second putt in each hole. The present invention, however, is not limited to this specific number of putts.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1: game system     -   2: network     -   10: golf game server     -   11: server control section     -   12: server storage section     -   13: server display section     -   14: server operation section     -   15: server communication section     -   20: golf game device     -   20A: field portion     -   20B: upright portion     -   21: field plate     -   22: cup section     -   22H: cup     -   22L: cup light     -   22S: ball-in-cup sensor     -   22S1: light emitting element     -   22S2: light receiving element     -   23: tilting section     -   23A to 23D: lift mechanism     -   231: ball screw shaft     -   232: motor     -   24: putting position designating section     -   24 a: laser beam emitting section     -   24 b: first shaft     -   24 c: first motor     -   24 d: second shaft     -   24 e: second motor     -   24 f: bracket     -   25: ball supplying section     -   26: ball collecting section     -   27: operation section     -   27 a: operation button     -   27 b: card R/W     -   28: display section     -   30: control section     -   31: storage section     -   32: image generating section     -   33: audio output section     -   34: communication section 

1. A golf game device comprising: a field simulating a green; a plurality of cups provided in the field; a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has entered the cup; a cup designating section which designates, to a player, a target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups; a putting position designating section which designates, to the player, a putting position on the field from where the player hits a ball; and a control section operable, in response to the player hitting a ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the progress of a golf game on the basis of the determination result.
 2. The golf game device according to claim 1, wherein the control section is operable to select one of the plurality of cups as the target cup for the cup designating section to designate, determine a distance to the selected target cup, and on the basis of the determined distance, determine the putting position on the field for the putting position designating section to designate.
 3. The golf game device according to claim 2, wherein the putting position designating section designates the putting position to the player by emitting a laser beam onto an arbitrary position on the field.
 4. The golf game device according to claim 3, wherein for a first shot in the golf game, the control section is operable to select one of the plurality of cups as the target cup for the cup designating section to designate, determine a first distance to the selected target cup, and on the basis of the determined first distance, determine a first putting position on the field for the putting position designating section to designate, and for a second shot in the golf game, the control section is operable to determine a second distance to the target cup, the second distance being shorter than the first distance, and on the basis of the determined second distance, determine a second putting position on the field for the putting position designating section to designate.
 5. The golf game device according to claim 1, further comprising a tilting section which is operable to tilt the field.
 6. The golf game device according to claim 5, wherein when causing a player to hit a first shot, the control section operates the tilting section to tilt the field, and when causing the player to hit a second shot, the control section maintains the tilting of the field on which the first shot was hit, without operating the tilting section.
 7. A golf game system having a plurality of golf game devices and a golf game server, the golf game server being connected to the plurality of golf game devices via a network, the golf game device comprising: a field simulating a green; a plurality of cups provided in the field; a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has entered the cup; a cup designating section which designates, to a player, a target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups; a putting position designating section which designates, to the player, a putting position on the field from where the player hits a ball; a control section operable, in response to the player hitting a ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the progress of a golf game on the basis of the determination result, to thereby determine game result information including a game score of the player; and a transmitting section which transmits the game result information of the player to the golf game server via the network; the golf game server comprising: a receiving section which receives the game result information of the player transmitted from the golf game device via the network; and a storage section which stores the received game result information in association with the player.
 8. A golf game server connected to a golf game device via a network, the golf game device including a field simulating a green, a plurality of cups provided in the field, a ball-in-cup detecting section which detects that a ball has entered the cup, a cup designating section which designates, to a player, a target cup to be aimed at from among the plurality of cups, a putting position designating section which designates, to the player, a putting position on the field from where the player hits a ball, a control section operable, in response to the player hitting a ball set at the putting position, to determine whether the hit ball has entered the target cup, on the basis of a detection signal from the ball-in-cup detecting section, and control the progress of a golf game on the basis of the determination result, to thereby determine game result information including a game score of the player, and a transmitting section which transmits the game result information of the player to the golf game server via the network, the golf game server comprising: a receiving section which receives the game result information of the player transmitted from the golf game device via the network; and a storage section which stores the received game result information in association with the player.
 9. The golf game device according to claim 2, wherein for a first shot in the golf game, the control section is operable to select one of the plurality of cups as the target cup for the cup designating section to designate, determine a first distance to the selected target cup, and on the basis of the determined first distance, determine a first putting position on the field for the putting position designating section to designate, and for a second shot in the golf game, the control section is operable to determine a second distance to the target cup, the second distance being shorter than the first distance, and on the basis of the determined second distance, determine a second putting position on the field for the putting position designating section to designate. 